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**Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 16, Shloka 1: ****Ourvah - ****Havishya matsya maamsaih tu shashasya nakulasya cha | **Soukara cchaagala aineya rouravaih gavayena cha || Havishya is the grains used by the sages in the forest, milk, *soma rasa, shuddha **maamsa, saindhava lavana *- these are havishya. Fish, deer, rabbit, hog, goat, antelope, some kind of deer, some kind of cow, … Here, it is told that offering maamsa in shraaddha is supposed to be very good. This is also told in Manu Smruti. There is a Gita Press commentary, the Hindi version, that maamsa is not allowed in the shraaddha. Quoting from Manu Smruti itself, where generally, it is said that " Na himsyaat sarva bhootaani", that one should not do himsaa to any being. But, in yajnya and shraaddha, this is exempted. Nowadays, the grains we use are equivalent for these things. Nowadays, the practice of offering maamsa is not there. **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ****Havishya iti | Havishyena ekam maasam truptih, matsyena dvou, maamsena ****treen maasaan | Atra maamso haarinaadi * Treen maasaan harinena truptih iti ****manu ukteh | Chaagalah - ajah, ruruh mahaan krushnasaarah | **Havishya is one month. Matsya, if offered, it is two months, they get pleased. Deer, it is for three months. Manu smruti is also quoted here. Chagala is goat. Ruru is another kind of deer. Each one of them, if offered, pitrus will get trupti for one more month each. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 16, Shloka 2: ****Ourabhragavyaih cha tathaa maasa vruddhyaa pitaamahaah | **Prayaanti truptim maamsaih tu nityam vaardhreena saamishaih || … sheep, by-products of cow (ghee, milk). There is a bird called Vaardhreena, and if that maamsa is given, the pitrus will be always satisfied. **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ****Ourabhra iti | Urabhrah oornaayuh | Gavyam payah, paayasam vaa * ****Samvatsaram tu gavyena payasaa paayasena vaa * iti smruteh | Gavyam **www.sadagopan.org [[181]] of 219
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**maamsam iti anye | Samvatsaram gavyena preetih bhooyaat | Atah maahishena ****etena * Graamya aranyaanaam pashoonaam maamsam medhyam punyam ****punyatamam * iti aapastamba uktih | Maasa vruddhtyaa ekaadyekottaram ****dvaadasha maasaantam maasa vruddhyaa truptih | * Krushnagreevo ****raktashiraah shvetapaksho vihangamah | Sa vai vaardhreenasah prokta iti eshaa ****naigamee uktih | iti, trih pibantam payah ksheebam vruddam shvetam ****ajaapatim | Vaardhreenasam tu tam praahuh yaajnikaah shraadhakarmane | iti ****cha | **Milk or products of milk. They will be pleased for one year if milk or paayasa is offered. Some people say that gavya is also maamsa. In Aapastamba sookti also, it is told like this. Vaardhreena is a bird which has got white feathers, and read head, and black neck. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 16, Shloka 3: ****Khangamaamsam ateeva atra kaalashaakam tathaa madhu | **Shastaani karmani atyanta truptidaani nareshvara || *Khadga mruga *(rhino), some kind of basil, honey, shasta are supposed to be very good for using in shraaddha. They please the pitrus a lot. **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ****Khadga maamsam iti | Kaalashaakah kaitharyah | **These are some of the things good for use in shraaddha. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 16, Shloka 4: ****Gayaam upetya yah shraaddham karoti pruthiveepate | **Saphalam tasya tat janma jaayate pitru tushtidam || **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 16, Shloka 5: ****Prashaantikaah saneevaaraah shyaamakaah dvividhaah tathaa | **Vanyoushadhee pradhaanaah tu shraaddhaarhaah purusharshabha || The kinds of grains used in shraaddha, are told, wild rice, two kinds of millet, medicinal herbs, are all good for usage in shraaddha. **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ****Prashaantikaah iti | Prashaantikaah kaalayavaakhya dhaanya visheshaah | ****Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 16, Shloka 6: ****Yavaah priyangavaah mudgaa godhoomaa vreehayah tilaah | ****Nishpaavaah kovidaaraah cha sarpapaashchaah atra shobhanaah || **Millet, gram, wheat, rice, sesame, pulse, mustard, are all allowed. **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ****Yavaah iti | Kovidaaraah kodravah, yugapatraakhya vruksho vaa | **
What is to be given up will be told next. We are studying Amsha 3, Chapter 16, where Ourva Rishi is telling King Sagara about what are all the things allowed for offering to Braahmanaas as www.sadagopan.org [[182]] of 219
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food items, for Braahmana bhojana. Next, he is going to tell about what are not allowed, and also water, milk, etc.
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**Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 16, Shloka 7: ****Akrutaagrayanam yat cha dhaanyajaatam nareshvara | ****Raajamaashaan anoom cha eva masooraan cha vivarjayet || **These are what are not allowed. The grains which are brought are to be initially used in yajnya, and then only it is good for other purposes. That which is not used at all for yajnya, is not to be used for Braahmana bhojana. Raajamaasha, a special kind of pulse is not to be used. Anu is a kind of millet. Lentils - these are not to be used.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: **Akruta iti | Raajamaashah anuh kshudra dhaanya visheshah |
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**Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 16, Shloka 8: ****Alaabum grunjanam cha eva pallaandum pindamoolakam | ****Gaandhaarakakarambhaani lavanaannyouparaani cha || **Onion and garlic are not to be used. Roots should not be used. Pindamoolaka is a kind of root. Rice with fragrance is not to be used. Fossil salt is not to be used.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ****Alaambviti | Masooram grunjanam pallandum cha lashuna jaati visheshaah | ****Pindamoolakam kandavisheshah | Gaandhaarakah sugandha shaali visheshah | ****Aaranaalakam iti anye | Karambah - bhrashtanistushadhaanya choornam | **Lavanam lavana utkatam | Fermented boiled rice is not allowed. After removing the chaff, small pieces of grains which are left over, at the bottom, are not to be used. Too much salt is not to be used.
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**Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 16, Shloka 9: ****Aaraktaah cha eva niryaasaah pratyaksha lavanaani cha | ****Varjaani etaani vai shraaddhe yat cha vaachaa na shasyate || **Red asafoetida, red kind of juice taken from the bark of a tree, is not allowed. Those which look like salt, but not salt, are not to be used. Similar things, not specifically told here, are also not allowed.
**Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ****Aaraktaa iti | Niryaasah hingvaadi | **
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**Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 16, Shloka 10: ****Naktaahrutam anucchishtam trupyate na cha yatra gouh | ****Durgandhi phenilam cha ambu shraaddha yogyam na paarthiva || **What is the kind of water not to be used, is told now. Water that is brought in the night and stored, is not to be used. In a well, there has to be water already there; if the well is dry, and the first water collected there is not supposed to be good. www.sadagopan.org [[183]] of 219
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Water that is not drunk by cow is not to be used. Milk of a cow which does not have a calf is not to be used. Water having bad smell or frost is not to be used. These are all not fit to be used in a shraaddha.
**Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ****Naktaahrutam iti | Anucchishtam abhinava udakam | Yadvaa avastaayaah ****payah | **
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**Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 16, Shloka 11: ****Ksheeram eka shaphaanaam yat oushtram aavikameva cha | ****Maargam cha maahisham cha eva varjayet shaastra karmani || **This is about kind of milk which is not to be used. A single horned animal - its milk is not to be used. Camel milk, or milk of an ewe are not to be used. Deer, buffalo - these milk are not to be used.
**Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ****Kshaaram iti | Shaphah - khurah | **
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**Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 16, Shloka 12: ****Shanda apavidva chandaala paapi paashanda rogibhih | ****Krukavaaku shavaana nagna vaanara graamasookaraih || **When the Brahmins who are representing the devaas and pitrus, when they are eating, they should not come in sight of all these - an eunuch, one who is not accepted by Guru and Brahmins, Chandaala, sinner, those having diseases, calf, dog, one who has given up the Veda dharmaas, monkeys, wild pig, village pig, …
**Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ****Shanda iti | Apaviddhih guru dvija aadi bahishkrutah | Nagnah veda dharma ****tyaagee | **
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**Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 16, Shloka 13: ****Udakyaasootikaashoucha mruta haaraih cha veekshate | ****Shraaddhe suraa na pitaro bhunjate purusharshabha || **… a rajasvala stree, if one is observing a period of impurity due to some close relative’s death, those who carry dead bodies, these are the people who should not be seen by the Brahmins while having food. If Brahmins come in front of these, that food is not accepted by devaas and pitrus.
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Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ****Udakya iti | Ashouchah shoucha heenah | Mrutahaarah shavoddhaara vruttih | It can also be ashoucha, one who lacks shaastra shuddhi. ** **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 16, Shloka 14: ****Tasmaat parishrite kuryaat shraaddham shraddhaasamanvitah | ****Urvyaam cha tilavikshepaat yaatudhaanaan nivaarayet || **Therefore, a well enclosed place, where passers by are not coming inside, with www.sadagopan.org [[184]] of 219
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great devotion, one has to do the shraaddha. The raakshasaas and others should be expelled from the place by spraying tilaa, sesame seeds on the ground, before they have their food. **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ****Tasmaat iti | Parishrite - samvrute | ****Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 16, Shloka 15: ****Nakhaadinaa cha upapannam kesha keetaadibhih nrupa | ****Na cha eva abhishavaih mishram annam pariyushitam tathaa || **The kind of anna which is not to be used is - that which has particles of nails, hair, insects; the rice should not have too much of water, or should not also be completely drained of water. That which is mixed like this, the gods and pitrus do not accept such a food. Also stale food. **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ****Nakha dina iti | Abhishavaih - nishpeedita rasaih tandula jalaih vaa, mishram na ****bhunjata iti anushangah | ****Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 16, Shloka 16: ****Shraddhaasamanvitaih dattam pitrubhyo naamagotratah | ****Yadaahaaraah tu te jaataah tat aahaarastvameti tat || **Clearly specifying naama, gotra, and offered with great devotion. **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ****Shraaddha iti | Yat annam yat naama gotraan pitruun uddishya dattam tat ****lokaantara sthaanam api tat tat loka tat tat jaati uchita aaharatvena parinatam ****sat bhogaaya syaat | Tat yathaa - te pitarah svargino jaataah chet tatra ****amrutam syaat, manushyaah chet annam, tiryak cha chet trunaadi | **Whoever is the pitru, whose name and gotra we tell and offer the food, whatever food is offered like this, even if they are in some other world, whatever food is proper in that world - whatever food is offered by us here will get converted into that food, which is fit to be used in the world they are actually there. This is how it will become enjoyable to them. If they are in svarga, the food offered here will become amruta; if they are in this world itself, then it will become anna; if they have taken the birth of animals, it will become grass, etc. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 16, Shloka 17: ****Shrooyate cha api pitrubhih geetaa gaathaa maheepate | ****Ikshvaakoh manuputrasya kalaapa upavane puraa || **There is a gaatha which is told - pitrus sing this song. Manu’s son, Ikshvaaku, long back, has told that, in Kalaapa upavana, near Himaalayaas, a specific village; it is heard that pitrus are singing this. **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: **Shrooyate iti | Kalaapah himavat paarshve kashchit graama visheshah | **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 16, Shloka 18: ****Api naste bhavishyanti kule sanmaarga sheelinah | **www.sadagopan.org [[185]] of 219
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**Gayaam upetya ye pindaan daasyanti asmaakam aadaraat || **Will there be anyone born in our kula who are in the right path, following the path of dharma, as told in the shaastraas, who go to Gaya, and offer us pindaas there, with great respect. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 16, Shloka 19: ****Api nassa kule jaato yo no dadyaat trayodasheem | **Paayasam madhusarpirbhyaam varshaasu cha maghaasu cha || They also say - in our kula, will there be anyone who is born, who, on a trayodashi, will offer paayasa with honey and ghee, every year, during *Bhaadrapada maasa, *Maghaa nakshatra. **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ****Api na iti | Trayodasheem trayodashyaam | Varshaasu bhaadrapade | ****Maaghaasu maaghanakshatre | Maagha nakshatra yukta bhaadrapada krushna ****trayodashyaam iti arthah | **Having Maghaa nakshatra, Bhaadrapada maasa, Krishna paksha, trayodashi. On that day, will they offer to us paayasa mixed with honey and ghee. Will such a person be born in our kula, they are always expecting. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 16, Shloka 20: ****Goureem vaa api udvahet kanyaam neelam vaa vrusham utsrujet | **Yajate vaa ashvamedhena vidhivat dakshinaavataa || Gouree is a daughter who is ten year old. Will they get their ten year old daughter married? Will they give her in marriage? One which is red in colour, and face and tail are very white, and its nails and horn are normal white, such a bull is said to be a neela vrusha, will someone leave such a bull? Or, will he perform *Ashvamedha *yaaga, as told in the shaastraas, offering all the dakshinaa to the ritwiks, and others, as told in the shaastraas. The pitrus are expecting this. These are all good to do. **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ****Goureem iti | Udvahet dadyaat | * Lohite yah tu varnena mukhe pucche cha ***paandurah | Shvetah khura vishaanaabhyaam sa neelo vrusha uchyate || This completes Chapter 16. || Iti Sri Vishnu Puraane Truteeye Amshe Shodasho Adhyaayah || || Iti Sri Vishnu Puraana Vyaakhyaane Vishnu Chitteeye Truteeye Amshe Shodasho Adhyaayah || *** **www.sadagopan.org [[186]] of 219
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|| Atha Saptadasho Adhyaayah || **Vishnu Stuti, Vishnu creates Maayaamoha Now Chapter 17.